Process of producing printed and embossed sheets.



G. W. KING.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PRINTED AND EMBOSSED SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-3,1912.

:I,1%3 7@7@ Patented June 22, 1915.

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GEORGE W. KING, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PRINTED AND EMBOSSED SHEETS.

Application filed September 3, 1912.

T alt whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. KING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Process of Pro- 7 ducing a Printed and Embossed Sheet, of

which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings, forming a part of the same.

My invention relates to printing and more particularly to processes for producing embossed printing on sheets of paper or the like.

In the practice of my invention, the various steps of the process are so related that with the same degree of care the coincidence or register of the printed characters and figures and the embossed work is much more perfect than with any process previously known. This remarkably. perfect coincidence is largely due to the fact that it is not dependent at any stage of the process merely upon the skill and care of the printer or embosser in manually registering any of the operating parts of the printing or embossing mechanism but at every step, mechanical means assist in the final perfection referred to.

One form of apparatus for the practice of my invention is hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a face view of the platen of a printing press, a zinc plate which I use being shown in full lines and the position of a sheet of paper to be embossed being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a face view of the zinc plate after it has been etched to form a male embossing die. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the plate shown in Fig. 2.- Fig. 4 is a face view of the platen with the etched plate in proper operating position thereon as determined by suitable gages. Fig. 5 is a View of the female embossing die held in proper position on the chase. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a sheet of paper in proper position on'the platen to be embossed.

Like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different figures.

The sheets of paper 1 or the like to be printed and embossed are first printed one by one in the usual manner, each sheet,'while being printed, being properly positioned upon the platen 2 by means of suitable gages Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June as, rare.

Serial No. 718,209.

3. A. printed impression is also made from the same form upon a clean thin Z1110 plate .4, the position of this plate on the platen while the impression is being made thereon being determined by the same gages 3 that determined the position of the sheets of paper. This printed impression on the zinc plate may be made at any time so long as the form and the gages used in printing the paper and the relative positions thereof remain unchanged. It is preferably made with etching-ink and should be carefully executed. lVhile this impression on the zinc plate is still fresh, it is dusted with pulverized or floured dragons blood, that which comes into contact with the ink adhering thereto and the superfluous remainder being dusted off with a soft brush. The plate with the ink and adhering dragons blood is then heated until the dragons blood becomes plastic so as to form a coating on the plate suitable to protect those portions of the plate which it covers from the action of an etching solution to be applied later. In order that sufficient protection may be insured, it has been found desirable that this process of dusting with dragons blood and heating or baking be repeated twice; that is, the plate is dusted and baked three times in all. The plate is now etched in any suitable manner as by immersing it in any solution, such as dilute nitric acid, which will-eat away those portions of the plate which are unprotected. In case the plate is etched by immersing it completely, I prefer to protect the back thereof from the action of the etching solution, as by coating it with shellac.

The chemical reaction between the metal and acid is quite liable to generate sufficient heat) to soften the protective coating of dragons blood and to prevent this it is found desirable to keep the acid bath cool by means of ice during the etching of the plate. When this is done, the coating of dragons blood does not soften, its edges re-- maining clear and sharp as a result. By keeping the etching bath cool, it has been found that it does not eat away the plate unduly under the edges of the coating of dragons blood. A still further advantage of the use of ice is that as it melts it dilutes the etching bath and tends to check its action toward the close of the etching step in the process. eign matter is then cleaned from the plate and the result is the finished etched plate 5 shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, the original characters and figures printed on the plate 4 now standing out in relief. The plate 5 now forms the completed male embossing die and it is obvious that the raised portions of the plate will correspond exactly in form and position to the printed characters and figures on the printed sheets of paper.

Owing to the fact that the etching bath not only eats downwardly into the zinc plate, but also has a decomposing action laterally in all directions, the resulting characters standing out in relief thereon are a trifle smaller than the corresponding characters on the printed sheets of paper.

The completed etched plate or male embossing die 5 is now mounted on the platen of an embossing press which may, if desired, be the same printing press already used, the die being secured firmly in any suitable po sition on the platen by means of glue, shellac, or the like.

Suitable gages 6 are positioned at proper intervals along the edge of the mounted die 5, for the purpose of properly positioning the previously printed sheets of paper While being embossed. Inasmuch as the edges of these printed sheets and of the die 5 which rest against the gages 6 may not all lie at the same angle, it is advisable that the gages 6 contact with the same points along the edges of the said sheets and die that the gages 3 contacted with when the sheets and die received the first. printed impressions.

A'block or backing 7 is secured firmly to the chase 8 by means of wedges 9 and suitable furniture 9 or otherwise and this block or backing is coated over a suitable portion of its exposed surface with a thin layer of Burbanks compound or other suitable plastic self hardening medium. After allowing the plastic coating to harden or set to a certain extent, the platen 2 is moved to press the male die 5 against it. This pressure produces in the still somewhat plastic coating a depression or depressions corresponding exactly to the raised portions of the male die 5, and after the plastic coating has hardened sufiiciently itis obvious that it will form a female die 10 formed and positioned to cooperate with extreme precision with the male die 5. And as a result of the methods by which the die 5 was produced and mounted on the platen with the gages 6, it is obvious that when a previously printed sheet 1 is laid over the male die 5 and the two dies are brought together, the printed impressions on this printed sheet will register exactly with the raised portions of the die 5 and also with the depressed portions of the die 10. As a result of this nicety of register, an extremely perfect printed and embossed product is obtained.

In the etching step of the process, the etching bath eats to a slight extent under the protective coating of dragons blood with the result that the raised or embossing portions of the male die are slightly smaller than the corresponding printed impressions on the sheet to be embossed. It is obvious that by reason of this feature, the printed impression on the sheet after it has been embossed will cover not only the faces of any raised or embossed portions of the sheet but will cover the edges or side walls of these embossed portions down toward or to the face of the sheet. The appearance of the raised characters or figures is much neater than if their edges were not included within the printed impression.

While I have described the details of my process and one order in which the steps thereof may be practised, I do not wish to be limited thereto as certain variations may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The herein described process of producing printed and embossed sheets, comprising the printing of said sheets from a given type form, the printing of a direct impression from said type form on a plate, and the embossing of said sheets by means of a die formed by bringing said impression on said plate into relief.

2. In the herein described process of producing printed and embossed sheets, the formation of an embossing die by printing a direct impression upon a plate from the same type form used to print said sheets, and bringing said impression into relief.

3. In the herein described process of producing printed and embossed sheets, the production of an embossing die by printing a direct impression upon a plate from the same type form employed to print said sheets, the positions of the impressions on said sheets and on said plate being determined by the same gaging means, and the etching of said plate to bring said impression into relief.

4:. The herein described process of producing printed and embossed sheets, comprising the printing of an impression on a plate from the same type form employed to print said sheets, bringing said impression into re.- lief to form an embossing die, forming a cooperating embossing die, placing a printed sheet on said first mentioned die with its printed impression in register with the cmbossing portion of the die, and pressing the two dies together to emboss the printed sheet.

5. The herein described process of producing printed and embossed sheets, comprising the printing of an impression on a plate from the same type form employed to print said sheets, operating on said plate to bring said impression into relief, with the raised portions thereof smaller than the printed impressions on the sheets, thereby forming a male embossing die, forming a cooperating embossing die, placing a printed sheet on said first mentioned die with its printed impression in register with the embossing portion of the die, and pressing the two dies together to emboss the printed sheet.

6. The process of producing a printed and embossed sheet, including the printing of an impression on the sheet while the sheet is positioned by suitable gages, the printing of a second impression from the same form on a zinc plate While said plate is positioned by said gages, whereby the two impressions 0c cupy the same positions on the sheet and plate, respectively, relatively to their gage contacting portions, protecting the surface of the plate under its printed impression from the action of an etching medium, removing the surface of the plate around the protected portion thereof by etching, thereby forming a male embossing die, mounting said die in a press, pressing said die against a plastic self hardening surface, allowing said plastic surface to harden to form a female embossing die, placing gages against said male die, placing said printed sheet between said dies and against said last mentioned gages, whereby its printed impression registers with the embossing portions of said dies, and pressing said dies together to emboss said printed sheet.

GEORGE W. KING. Witnesses:

PENELOPE CoMBERBAoH, NELLIE WHALEN.

flames or thta patent y be obtained! for fire cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l'atemtm.

mamas-ton, D. G. 

